Ohio officials have found what they think is the eco friendly answer to harsh calcium chloride used to melt icy streets: beet juice (not to be confused with the 1988 Tim Burton film Beetlejuice).

Calcium chloride is generally used on roads to boost the melting power of salt, however it is bad for vehicles and the environment. Some cities in the midwest turned to beet juice after producers noticed the waste never froze and have found the new medley of beet juice with a salty brine, to be successful. Manufacturers are removing the sugar content of beets to avoid attracting wildlife and cattle to the tasty slush. The city of Columbus has purchased 1,000 gallons of beet juice to experiment with this season and Mary Carran Webster, the city's assistant public service director is optimistic about the results.

''When it snows, we may have to go over the same route three times applying salt and calcium chloride. According to the manufacturer, we should only have to go once (with the beet juice solution),'' Webster said.

So they have a plan to keep animals from eating up the excess juice. Do they have also have a plan to remove the color concentration or will Columbus suddenly see a surge of reddish-pink cars that were once a lovely shade of white?

» Ohio.com